The representation of courtly life and activities was a very popular subject for artists working in the medieval Islamic period. Within this setting, a particularly favored subject is the depiction of musicians, such as the seated tambourine player seen here. This piece is unusually detailed for its size, and may have been part of a larger group. It is believed that objects such as this were used for decorative purposes, although the slight curvature present on the back of the piece suggests that this may have been one component of a larger composition set in plaster.mic